A cultural evening titled ‘Safar’ mesmerised Salalah audience as singers from India and Oman presented soulful Ghazals and Sufi songs at a recently concluded event at Indian Social Club Salalah auditorium. The event was organised jointly by the ISC Salalah and its Urdu Wing.
The singers Shashank Shekhar and Dr Vandana Jyotirmayee established good rapport with the audience soon after assuming the dais and the rhythm of the evening was applause from the audience besides the mesmerising beats of the accompanists, who had come all the way from Mumbai to take part in the event.
Shreedhara Chari kept the audience engaged and amused with his excellent performance on ‘tabla’, a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of drums, which is used in traditional, classical, popular and folk music, while the audience roared into claps over the entwined twins (jugalbandi) of keyboardist Manish Solanki and guitarist Shahnawaz Ahmed Khan.
‘Aftab-e-Ghazal’ Shashank Shekhar is one of the most talented singers in the current Indian music scenario. Gifted with a golden voice, a thinker’s intellect and a performer’s flair, he has been enthralling music enthusiasts with his singing for the past two decades.
He presented popular Ghazals ‘Hothon se chhoo lo tum’; ‘Koi fariyaad mere dil mein dabi ho jaise’; ‘Huzoor aapka bhi ehtaraam karta chaloon’; and ‘Aaoge jab tum o saajna’. The audience did not resist participating with Shashank as soon as he started singing ‘Mohe aayi na jag se laaj...’
This was Shashank’s second performance in Salalah. He feels there is something which keeps him connected with Salalah. “May be its true nature and pristine beaches... I love to come to Salalah and look forward to many more performances here,” he said.
Dr Vandana Jyotirmayee keeps the passion of singing while pursuing her career as an academician. She calls music food for her soul and the purpose of her singing is to keep people in touch with their roots of tradition, culture and rich heritage.
“I feel connected while remembering the beautiful poetries which are valuable for the generations to come and strongly feel that music should also be promoted as a healing agent in this race of life,” she said soon after her performance was over.
Dr Vandana made the evening memorable with songs like ‘Hamaari yaad satayae to phir chalay aana’; Daag Dehelvi’s famous ghazal ‘Dil gaya tumne liya hum kya karein’; ‘Kuchh yaadgaare- shaher’; and Punjabi Sufi song ‘Nit khair manga... .‘Chhap tilak and damadam mast kalamdar’ made the audience clap and sing along with the performers.
Manpreet Singh, Chairman Indian Social Club Salalah, welcomed the guests, while Dr Akram Ali, Urdu Wing Convener, put stress on organising language events to keep people connected with the roots. The artists were introduced by Razia Khan and vote of thanks was given by ISC Cultural Secretary Ramesh KK.
Kaushalendra Singh
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